Shoe



April 13, 1943.- J. FEIN A 2,316,325

' SHOE 1 Filed Deo. l, 1941 JNVENToR. @//1505 FE/N Patented Apr. 13, 1943 UNITED STATES' PATENT orrics SHOE Jacob Fein, Bronx, N. Y.

Application December 1, 1941, Serial No. 421,086

2 Claims. (Cl. 36--45) This invention relates to shoes and more particularly to shoe uppers.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a shoe with an upper formed of flexible cords whereby the upper is flexible and readily conforms to the desired shape, said upper being also more comfortable to the wearer than the usual upper.

Another object of the invention is to provide a shoe with an upper having an attractive and novel appearance.

The above and other objects of the invention will be more clearly understood from the following description of the invention, reference being had to the accompanying illustrative drawing.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a shoe embody.- ing the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional View on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view of a part of the upper, illustrating the attachment of the cords to the lining;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view, on a larger scale, of one of the cords.

Referring now to the drawing in further detail, there is shown a shoe Ill, here illustrated as a ladys shoe, and having an outsole I2, a heel I4, an insole I6, and an upper I8 embodying the present invention. It will be understood that the style of the shoe may be different from that shown and that the upper embodying the present invention may be applied to shoes for men and boys as well as to shoes for women and girls.

Referring now more particularly to the construction of the shoe upper I8, the latter comprises in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention, an outer or face layer composed of a plurality of cords disposed in adjacent side by side relation and secured in said relation to a lining or backing layer 22, Said cords 20 are secured to the lining by lines of stitching 24 which extend longitudinally of said cords along the medial lines thereof and pass through or engage the lining layer 22. Cords 20 are preferably formed of braided strands of textile yarn or threads and are preferably inelastic. The thickness of said cords may vary but are preferably of the order of about 1/th of an inch in thickness, and are preferably circular in. cross section, although cords of other cross sections can be used. For example, said cords can be oval shape in cross section. The lining can be composed of the usual materials, for example, leather or cloth.

The vamp portion 26 of the shoe upper is preferably arranged in the shoe, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, so that the cords 20 extend transversely of the shoe from one side thereof to the other. As here shown vamp portion 26 has openings 28 at the opposite sides of the shoe, as well as a toe opening 30, and the parts of lining 22 and rearwardly of openings 28 are preferably in integral relation, cords 2D being stitched to said lining along the desired lines of curvature to form openings 28 of the desired shape. The rear part 32 of the upper is here shown in the form of a strap comprising cords 20 stitched to a lining layer 22. Said part 32 of the upper is secured at its opposite ends to the opposite sides, respectively, of the shank part of the shoe between the insole and outsole and is arranged to pass around and engage the back or heel part of the wearers foot substantially in the same way as a similar leather part in a conventional shoe of the open heel type. As here shown the rear part 32 of the upper is provided with an instep fastening strap 34 formed of a looped cord engaging the opposite sides of rear part 32 of the upper in position to extend across the wearers instep for holding the shoe on the wearers foot. It will be understood, however, that any other suitable instep strap may be used in lieu of cord 34.

In the manufacture of the shoe, the insole I6 is rst temporarily secured to the bottom of the last, and then the upper is lasted, the lasting allowance of the upper being secured, preferably by cement, or by stitching, if desired, to the outer surface of the insole. Filling material indicated at 36 ln Fig. 2 is applied between the confronting edges of the lasting allowance. Finally, the outsole I2 is attached preferably by adhesive applied in a layer co-extensive with the contiguous surfaces of the outsole and the bottom of the upper. The outsole I2 may be formed of the usual sole leather or may be formed of other materials, and further it will be understood that said outsole I2 may be constituted by a rope sole.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that the latter may be embodied otherwise than as herein shown or described, and further it will be understood that in the illustrated form of the invention certain changes in the details of construction, in the arrangement of parts and'in the materials constituting said parts may be made. For example, the vamp part of the upper may be formed of a continuous length of cord wound around the last and over the bottom of the insole, the lining being omitted and adjacent convolutions of the cord being stitched to each other in side by side relation. Other changes may be made and will occur to skilled artisans in View of the present disclosure. Therefore, I do not Wish to be limited to the invention as herein shown or described, except to the extent which may be required by the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A shoe comprising an upper and an outsole, said upper comprising a backing layer secured to said outsole and extending from one side edge of the latter to the opposite side thereof and a face layer overlying said backing layer and extending from one side edge of the outsole to the opposite side thereof, said face layer being formed of textile cords mounted on said backing layer in adjacent side by side relation thereon` and lines of stitching extending longitudinally of said cords and securing said cords individually to said backing layer in said side by side relation thereon.

2. A shoe comprising an upper and an outsole, said upper comprising a backing layer secured to said outsole and extending from one side edge of the latter to the opposite side thereof and a face layer overlying said backing layer and extending from one side edge of the outsole to the opposite side thereof, said face layer being formed of textile cords formed of braided strands mounted on said backing layer in adjacent side by side relation thereon, and lines of stitching extending longitudinally of said cords and securing said cords individually to said backing layer in said side by side relation thereon.

JACOB FEIN. 

